Tom Shephard

About Me

A bit about
who I am

I graduated with a Computer Science degree in 2026, and I am currently working at Amazon Web Services as a Graduate Systems Analyst. I'm passionate about cloud infrastructure, software, and building things that work reliably at scale.

Prior to joining AWS, I was a Cloud Solution Architect Intern at Microsoft, and I also previously worked as an IT Support Technician throughout my time at university. I have strong grounding in both enterprise-level architecture and hands-on technical support.

2:1 Degree Class

3+ Years in Tech

Experience at

What I Do

Core skills &
disciplines

Cloud & Infrastructure

Hands-on experience with AWS and Azure through professional roles at Amazon and Microsoft. Underpinned by academic study of operating systems, concurrency, and computer architecture — giving me a strong foundation from silicon to service.

Software Development

Comfortable across multiple languages and paradigms — Java, C, C++, Python, Haskell and more. Projects range from building a compiler from scratch to maintaining production-quality codebases, with a focus on clean, readable, and well-documented code.

AI & Machine Learning

Built an NLP chatbot using TF-IDF vectors and cosine similarity for intent detection, and developed an evolutionary simulation modelling population dynamics under environmental stress. Grounded in both the theory and practical application of intelligent systems.

Security & Cryptography

Implemented a block cipher from scratch using XTS mode of operation, supporting full encryption and decryption of arbitrary input. Broader security knowledge spans firewalls, malware analysis, authentication, and secure system design.

Data & Visualisation

Created interactive data visualisations using R, JavaScript, and Observable Plot. Experienced with SQL and relational database design. Able to translate complex datasets into clear, meaningful visual narratives for both technical and non-technical audiences.

Human-Centred Design

Studied how people interact with technology and the broader role software plays in society. Used Figma to prototype collaborative systems, and applied conversational design principles in building a natural language interface — balancing technical function with genuine usability.

Selected Work

Recent projects

01 / 03

Evolutionary Agents Simulation

Python Simulation Evolutionary AI 2026

Designed and ran an agent-based evolutionary simulation in which hundreds of autonomous agents compete for food across a shared environment. Each agent carries three heritable traits — vision, speed, and efficiency — which determine survival and reproduction. After allowing populations to stabilise, a shock event halved available food and the simulation observed how trait distributions shifted in response. The results surfaced genuine emergent behaviour: trade-offs between speed and efficiency became pronounced under scarcity, mirroring real evolutionary pressures.

02 / 03

Zodiac Block Cipher

Java Cryptography XTS Mode 2026

Implemented a custom block cipher named Zodiac, using the XTS mode of operation, which is the same standard used in full-disk encryption. The cipher supports full encryption and decryption of arbitrary plaintext input, with the XTS mode providing sector-level protection against pattern leakage. Built from first principles with a focus on understanding the mathematical foundations of symmetric encryption rather than relying on existing cryptographic libraries.

03 / 03

NLP Chatbot

Python NLP TF-IDF 2025

Built a natural language chatbot using intent detection powered by TF-IDF vectors and cosine similarity. The system classifies user input against a defined intent set without relying on any external AI APIs — the matching logic is built from scratch. Alongside the technical implementation, the project explored conversational design principles: how to write dialogue that feels natural, handles ambiguity gracefully, and keeps users oriented.

Career

Work experience

July 2026 — Present

Graduate Systems Analyst

Amazon Web Services

Working within AWS as a Graduate Systems Analyst, contributing to cloud infrastructure projects and internal systems. Focused on scalable, reliable solutions across distributed environments.

AWS Systems Design Cloud Infrastructure Distributed Systems Python

July 2024 — July 2025

Cloud Solution Architect Intern

Microsoft

Completed an internship within Microsoft's Security Cloud Solutions team, gaining hands-on experience designing and proposing cloud architecture solutions for enterprise clients on the Azure platform.

Azure Cloud Architecture Enterprise Security Solution Design Client Engagement

2023 — 2024

IT Support Technician

University

Provided part-time IT support throughout my undergraduate studies, troubleshooting hardware and software issues, supporting staff and students, and maintaining university systems.

Hardware Support Networking Windows & Linux Troubleshooting

TomShephard

A bit aboutwho I am

Core skills &disciplines